Uneven Bars
by Sophie-Lou
Summary: AU. CereCere is practicing on the uneven bars for the Olympic event when JunJun comes by the size up the competition.


**A/N: Based on a scenario thrown at me by the Mini Scenario Generator. This one in particular was, "CereCere and JunJun are athletes from different countries that meet at the Olympics."**

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CereCere did her last few stretches in preparation for her acrobatic event. Tomorrow would be the big day. From her understanding, she was favourite to win a medal at the Uneven Bars. Her! The Wild Card gymnast was a favourite for a medal – possibly even Gold. She blushed at the mere thought of it. "I, CereCere, bringing home a medal for my little, beautiful home cou—"

"Don't speak too soon, princess!" came the rough, uncouth voice from yonder. CereCere opened her eyes and looked up, trying to fight the scowl creeping across her forehead. Last thing she needed was premature wrinkles, thank you very much. Instead, she closed her eyes and huffed, unwilling to look at the green-haired girl as she knew it would make her angry. Still, she had already seen the nonchalant saunter JunJun was making as she approached. The representative of the United States, no less. CereCere hated to admit it but this was her true competition. "Ya make have won the hearts of gamblers but no one beats JunJun in acrobatics."

The pink-haired beauty opened one eye to glance at her rival.

"We will see soon enough, dear," CereCere said delicately, determined not to engage the other girl in what she understood yanks called 'smack talk'. "My own particular brand of glamour together with my lithe movements, will dazzle the judges tomorrow and present you with good competition, I assure you."

JunJun tilted her head with a side-way smirk. "Yes," she said with a deep, hearty tone that CereCere wasn't sure how to take. "I caught the tail 'nd of ya little performance. Very nice."

If she didn't have sublime control over her emotions from years of instruction and training from her trainers, instructors and even her parents, CereCere might have blushed. She suspected JunJun was being sarcastic but on the other hands she sounded… impressed. She was almost masculine in her rapture. It was that aspect that caught CereCere off guard. Was JunJun doing it on purpose?

She didn't have more time to ponder as JunJun suddenly hopped up onto the bars and began to swing skilfully. Despite her boyish, snails-and-puppy-dog looks, CereCere had to admit that her rival was an amazing acrobat. She couldn't tell whether it would be better than her own performance, but she was determined to remain cool and calm.

JunJun left the bars with a flawless dismount, barely betraying how arduous her movements had been, keeping her breath deep but steady. CereCere stared at her in guarded awe. "Well, princess? How about a duel?"

"A duel?"

"That's right. Show me your best flying abilities and dismount. I want to see your skills at work."

CereCere stared intently at JunJun, wondering if this was a trick or test. There had to be some reason why this boisterous American wanted to see her performance. Was she doing the rounds to all the competition, sizing them all up? Maybe she had already done the rounds on the other ladies in the games? The only two other girls that CereCere had her own eyes on were VesVes for China and PallaPalla representing Russia. Both were incredibly talented at their art.

With an air of resistance, CereCere picked up some chalk and approached the bars. Before she did anything else she felt two hands rest on her hips, startling her. She never did like to be touched. She span around, "What are you doing? I'm ticklish."

"Relax," JunJun said gruffly, laughing as she placed her hands on her hips. "I'm not trying to sabotage ya. I just want to see ya at work."

With a deep breath, CereCere nodded and turned away. It was strange but she never felt terribly nervous while performing in front of a huge crowd, all eyes judging her. She was able to detach herself from the sea of faces and concerned herself only with each move as she completed it. She was called "la beauté de vol" for good reason. Her body would become a free agent as she swung gorgeously from one bar to the next and back. But right now was different; just one pair of judging eyes were staring at her, one that would be ready to point out any minor mistake.

I must detach myself, she thought to herself as she began her moves. Don't think about what she may think. Don't let her cockiness throw you off.

Once she dismounted, she waited a full five second before breaking character. JunJun clapped slowly. "That was mighty good, princess. That technique is probably the best I've seen today. I can see why they call ya the 'Flying Beauty'…"

CereCere could detect the 'but' in her voice already. She knew she would find something to pick at, something to make her worry about and doubt her display for the real event tomorrow. She remained stoic as JunJun walked up to her, leaving just a two foot distance between them.

"But ya think ta much," finally came the rub. "The whole time ya were up there I could see ya thinking. Worried 'bout what I think of ya and whether ya'd be good enough ta stand up ta me tomorrow."

Her accent was starting to meld her words together that CereCere was struggling to take in her words. The tone was genuinely thoughtful – as much as that croaky, rusty voice could be – and encouraging. She realised then that JunJun was not trying to throw off the competition but make sure she actually had a good contest tomorrow. For JunJun, competing was everything and for a victory to mean something to her personally she had to ensure her rivals were as good as she was.

"To be perfectly honest with you," CereCere replied, trying to speak in slow, proper English so that this 'lady' (Ha, perhaps 'lad-ee' would suit her better) could follow her better. "I think I would have done better if it had not just been you watching."

JunJun's eyebrow rose amusedly. "How come?"

"I hate to be judged," CereCere said shortly.

The green-haired girl burst out laughing at the irony of that statement. "Then ya in the wrong business, princess da vole!"

CereCere winced as her fans' pet name for her was butchered by that American drawl. She folded her arms and raised her nose high. "I do not appreciate the judging eyes of my enemy staring down at me. If you came here to size me up, you have got what you wanted. So be off with you!"

Another laugh escaped JunJun. "I didn't come here ta judge ya. I…literally came ta see you."

"What?" CereCere said, surprised. The fact she had managed to say 'you' properly for the first time had caught her off guard.

"I've always kinda looked up to ya," JunJun said wistfully. "I actually picked uneven bars 'cause I saw ya do it once when I was in ya home town for a juniors competition. They said ya'd be their big hope for the games in eight years. I remember seeing ya do all sorts of gymnastics but the bit I really remember was the trapeze…"

A pink tint appeared across CereCere's cheeks, thankfully invisible beneath her light powered make up. Sometimes it embarrassed her to be reminded of her humble beginnings as a performing artist before she was scouted to be an athlete. Now she was here, remembering the way she used to swing around, dance in the air and throw petals over the crowds… it seemed cheap compared to all this glory.

"Ya looked so pretty and unearthly as ya moved," JunJun said pensively. "Like a petal dancin' in the wind. Ya should remember ta put that in ya act."

The two girls stared at each other in silence for a moment.

"But how…?" CereCere began, thought, and started again. "How could seeing me possibly have inspired you to take up the uneven bars?"

JunJun cocked her head again, grinning. "Uneven bars. Sometimes they feel like two ground flying swings, dontchya think?"

CereCere did not, but she was flattered all the same.


End file.
